This time, it's KS_Sews @Dressmaking Debacles, once more with the Burdastyle Challenge she lead last year. The rules are your own, and I choose to sewing up 1 pattern from the current month of my subscription, whatever the year.

I make no bones about being a vocal critic of Colette Patterns ever since what I like to call The Rue Debacle! I'm largely very disappointed that one of the most visible Indie pattern makers have proven themselves a bastion of lies, incompetence and little professionalism, everything I despise!

One would think I tar all Indies with the same black brush. Not at all! And to prove it, I'm giving myself the challenge to sew a number of "Indie" pattern this year, complete with analysis of the elements.

So, there you have it, an overview of what's to come in 2017. I hope to sew three (3) garments per month but I'm going to try and not stress about it too much if I can't. 2016 was a hard year and I need sewing to remain an escape.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have had a life-changing experience!Yesterday, I met DelphineIRLright here in my very own city.Yes, you read me right, I am no longer THE ONLY SEWING BLOGGER in the country.It was beyond wonderful to meet someone who literally speaks my language. Our first conversation went something like this: Me: "Is that from the tute with the zipper?"Delphine : "No, it's RTW. Your dress, is it that Vogue everybody made?"Me : "No, it's S2580".The only downside is that I was sooo busy telling her every detail about my life, my stash and my machines, I completely forgot to pull out my camera. Sadly, no photo (for now!).Basically, we now need to meet again, if only to immortalize D-Day.Poor Delphine, I'm sure she went home to nap after I talked her head off all afternoon.Seems like I need to start posting on this blog again, before I set up the Haitian Sewing Blogger Association, right? Thankfully, school will be out in a couple of weeks. I already have a Sewing Marathon in the plans. Stay tuned!

I might not have been sewing much for the past six months or more but I've certainly been doing "sewing adjacent" activities.

Yes, when I'm not sewing, I buy fabric and notions.

I discovered this little store by pure happenstance. I was looking for some piqué print and I asked my Sewing Coworker* about it. She told me about a store whose name she didn't know, whose address was pretty vague and whose schedule was utterly unknown.

Friends, it was SO worth it. I'm in love. It's called One Love, kismet!

So here are my purchases, so far:

One fabric is actually missing because, while I notes it into my Sewing Notebook, I can't seem to find it anywhere. I'll update the post when I do.

All are cotton fabrics, except for the last one which is a stretch cotton. Of course, not a single unit in sight, as usual. No notions but I'm made my peace with this reality.

I do know that the owner goes to the United States several times a year. Theauneof fabric costs around $8-10USD/6-8euros.

He even has my gorgeons Jomar, Philadelphia find:

And last Saturday, on my way to English class, I stopped to at a rickety little stall in front of someone's gate, to buy these two polyester knits :

Yes, my well-trained eagle eye has spied jersey fabric while driving by on one of the main streets of the city. It's just so rare to find knits. The skinny, toothless little old lady who sold me these approx. 6 yards for about $30 US/23euros spoke of a woman bringing them in from Canada.

The darker fabric does have a flaw in the print but I'm sure I can work around it.

If you recognize any of these fabrics, please let me know!

I would say that the only thing that keeps me from murdering my monthly budget is the fact that I have to take a small but critical detour to reach thee store. Otherwise, MURDER!

and McCall's 5974 in a bias "Burberry" plaid ITY print with black Fold-Over Elastic accents at the neckline and the sleeves (read the review here):

I'm not only proud that I have FINALLY finished a gardent for a PR contest (after several failed attempts in the past) but also that I've used several new-to-me techniques and notions. D'abord, the famous Vilene tap Burda is always mentioning and that Mélissa @ Fehr Trade was kind enough to give to me back in 2010. I used it to stay the neckline seams on S3503:

I'm completely addicted to this now and I need MORE!!!

Then, Wonder Tape. I've used a similar similar tape by 3M for paper and both are fantastic in their own right. Wonder Tape is a double-sided adhésive tape that is water-soluble (so keep it dry!) that helps keep two cuts of fabric attached until you sew them together. I used it to add a "binding" to the neckline and sleeves of my dress. That's how I kept the Fold-Over Elastic in place. [I think I left the photos on my other computer so watch this space for an update].

I strongly recommend all three of these notions to every one. FOE is just the best of two worlds: it has the stretch of an elastic (cancelled out in my application) but with the neat, enclosing finish of a binding or tape.

In addition to these dresses, I also made a maxi tank dress for my coworker. Her birthday was fairly recently and she had mentioned wanting a maxi dress while chating about current trends.

It's Burda 06-2009-115/116, lengthened about 39 niches and slightly flared, using the underskirt of mod 116 as a guide. (Read the review here)

But wait, there's more!

I literaly had nothing to wear to work after six months of no sewing mojo. So I whipped up Burda 11-2010-129 whose pattern had been linguishing in a corner for more than a year. I think I've found the perfect back crotch curve but, to be honest, losing a few pounds has help with fitting a lot. (Read the review here)

Well, I have a TON of things to sew for the twoother concours I signed up for in May so I leave you with blast from the past (and the reference in this post's title, LOL)

Another Good Deed for my vintage sewing readers. These four pages come from my Great Aunt Hernélie, a little beaten up but still, I'm sure there's a lot of details to enjoy, in addition to a baby knitted jacket! Think of all the hours of fun on Google Translate alone!!!
The magazine was created in 1919 and still exists today. I even found a website selling issues from 1940 to 1999. (And they take Paypal!)